The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-05
ii. RIDER HAGGARD,
The AUTHOR OF "sHE" AND
OraER NOVELS.
A STEADY development of Rare
Psychological Power What
America Has Paid Him.

The Book Buyer for June; Those
who are fond of trying to read chsrac.
ter in handwriting would be apt to eet
down tie author OF "King Solomon
Mines" and "She" as man OF g good
deal Of force OF mind and OF a straight
forward, hearty, whole soulsd way Of
doing things. Mr.. Hsggsrd wfites, sp-
parently with quill or with a bread
stub pen, a args open hard that is in
sharp contrast with tbs small style
which most literary EDg iehmen adopt.
His signature. which accompanies his
portrait 10 this number OF the Book
Buyer, is somewhat larger 0nd holder
tina a bis ordinary handwriting, and is
without doubt good index to the
character OF this popular author. MIR.
HagSard is a young man. He will
not bs thiriy.oDe uaIil the I'D Of this
month, and therefore, unless he has
Exhausted bis sore OF invention, the
public may look forward to a
good many more exciting narratives
from him. His information regarding
South African scenes and native char
scter Yves gathered at first hand. For
when only nineteen Mr.. Haggard &C.
mpanied Sir Henry Bulwer to Na;al;
and during the two succeeding years
he erved on the staff OF Sir Theophius
Sh pstoDe, the Special Com missioner
to the Ira nsvaal. He withdrew from
the colonial service in 1879, and, re.
lurDipg to London and marrying the
only daughter If the late Mi Msrgit.
SOD, Of Buckingham House, Norfolk,
became practising barrister of Lin
COINS Iaa. Mr.. Haggard's book wss
OF political char acter, and, coming
from an unknown writer, attracted lit
tie attention. 1t related to recent
events in South Africa, and was pub.
liehed in 1882. Two years later he
published "Dawn," and year after
"The Witch's Head" both stories OF
adventure. They caused rot much
comment. Dawn" was rather
crude, bnt The Witch's HAD" In.
die ited that the power to write a stir
ring story for boys lay in the author.
In the autumn of 1885 this power wss
revealed when "King Solomon's
Mines" was publiehed, q book that
wa, highly praised by the critic, and
that Immediately acquired wide pop
ularity. The presence of new force
in fiction was Ie:og1ized, force that
brought freshness OF method and great
vigor and virility of treatment to the
development OF an old idea--the hsz.
ardous search for hidden treasure,
which was nothing LEES than the dis-
mond mines from which King Solo.
mon was supposed to have g t his jew
els. Such a story 81 daring adventure,
however, in which the interest was
not only maintained but was incre ased
from the beginniug TO the end, was
we'll nigh unique, though 1t by no
means represented tho highest firm {
romance. Writing If this story,
which made him famous, to the
editor tfy the Boot Buyer, Mr.. Hsg-
gard says: SIX DS S1lomon's Mines"
was written az an experiment in boys
books. II would be impossible for me
10 define where fact ends and fiction
| b eRins In the work, ss the two ara very
much NJ xed up together. 1 may add
that iis success was qui'e unexpected
by nee, as the work, undertaken q
hsphaz ard, was carried out at odd
hours for the most part sitter a long
day o. chambers Mr.. Nag, ard adds
that be nas ceived up to date March
20lh) the sum OF c 3 los. on account
OF tue Amen a sae of this book, Of
which C 0 came from Messrs Harper
& BIO h.n. "She" was published
last December, aud "Jets" came oul
10 March, both showing that there
was apparently no abatement Of Mr.
Hsegard's invention, originality, in
genuity and imagination IN the art OF
telling story of vivid and thrilling
interest.